Two-way message service and voice communication

Abstract

Various embodiments support two-way message service and voice communication. In at least some embodiments, temporary numbers from a pool of numbers are automatically assigned to outgoing messages and grouped with the intended recipient's phone number. Recipients can reply to the message by replying to the assigned number and the reply will be sent back to the originator of the message. In at least some embodiments, the pool of numbers includes different types of numbers such as, by way of example and not limitation, shared numbers and dedicated numbers. Further, at least some embodiments can utilize various policies in order to determine how to automatically assign temporary numbers. Such policies can be driven by business rules, regulatory concerns, carrier-based considerations, and the like.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method comprising:
 receiving, from a message originator, a message service message intended for one or more message recipients; 
 automatically assigning a sender ID to the message service message based on:
 a geographic destination of the message service message; and 
 a service provider associated with each of the one or more message recipients; and 
 
 causing the message service message to be routed to the one or more message recipients with data indicating that the message is originated from the sender ID instead of from a number associated with the message originator. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a Short Message Service message. 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a Multimedia Messaging Service message. 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a message service message intended for multiple recipients and said automatically assigning comprises automatically assigning at least one different sender ID to at least one of the message service messages. 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a message service message intended for multiple recipients and said automatically assigning comprises automatically assigning at least one different sender ID to at least one of the message service messages, the at least one different sender ID comprising a sender ID associated with a country that is different from another country associated with the at least one different sender ID. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 receiving a reply to the message service message from the one or more message recipients; 
 ascertaining, from the sender ID, the message originator of the message service message; and 
 causing the reply to be routed to the message originator of the message service message. 
 
     
     
       7. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said automatically assigning comprises assigning the sender ID from a number pool comprising shared numbers and dedicated numbers. 
     
     
       8. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein said automatically assigning comprises using a policy-driven approach to determine whether to assign shared numbers or dedicated numbers as the sender ID. 
     
     
       9. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the sender ID comprises a number that is local to the destination of the message service message. 
     
     
       10. One or more computer-readable storage media embodying computer-readable instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:
 receiving, from a message originator, a message intended for multiple message recipients, the message comprising at least one of a message service message or a voice message; 
 automatically assigning a sender ID to the message for each of the multiple message recipients based on a geographic location of the message recipient, the automatically assigning comprising automatically assigning at least one different sender ID to at least one of the multiple message recipients; and 
 causing the message to be routed to each of the multiple message recipients as originating from the sender ID corresponding to the message recipient instead of originating from a number associated with the message originator. 
 
     
     
       11. The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein said automatically assigning comprises assigning the sender ID from one or more number pools comprising shared numbers and dedicated numbers. 
     
     
       12. The one or more computer readable storage media of  claim 10 , wherein said automatically assigning comprises using a policy-driven approach to determine whether to assign shared numbers or dedicated numbers as the sender ID, the policy-driven approach using one or more of: location-based policies, carrier or provider policies, or policies associated with cost. 
     
     
       13. A system comprising:
 at least one processor; and 
 one or more computer-readable storage media having instructions stored thereon that are executable by the at least one processor to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, from a message originator, a message service message intended for one or more message recipients; 
 automatically assigning a sender ID to the message service message based on: 
 a geographic destination of the message service message; and 
 a service provider associated with each of the one or more message recipients; and 
 causing the message service message to be routed to the one or more message recipients with data indicating that the message is originated from the sender ID instead of from a number associated with the message originator. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a Short Message Service message. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a Multimedia Messaging Service message. 
     
     
       16. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a message service message intended for multiple recipients and said automatically assigning comprises automatically assigning at least one different sender ID to at least one of the message service messages. 
     
     
       17. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said receiving the message service message comprises receiving a message service message intended for multiple recipients and said automatically assigning comprises automatically assigning at least one different sender ID to at least one of the message service messages, the at least one different sender ID comprising a sender ID associated with a country that is different from another country associated with the at least one different sender ID. 
     
     
       18. The system of  claim 13 , the operations further comprising: receiving a reply to the message service message from the one or more message recipients; ascertaining, from the sender ID, the message originator of the message service message; and causing the reply to be routed to the message originator of the message service message. 
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 13 , wherein said automatically assigning comprises using a policy-driven approach to determine whether to assign shared numbers or dedicated numbers as the sender ID. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 13 , wherein the sender ID comprises a number that is local to the destination of the message service message.